Wellness
Articles
Treating
ADD and ADHD with Homeopathy
by Hung-Yeh
Peisinger
Back
| Next | Contents
| Home
There
is a growing number of concerned parents who do not want to medicate
their children who are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder
or Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD or ADHD)
and are looking for alternative treatments. This article is a
short introduction to homeopathy as an alternative.
Attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder is being diagnosed in epidemic
proportions. In 1996, the number of school children diagnosed
with ADD/ADHD in the US was about four million. In the last 10
years most physicians and others have asked the question of possible
over diagnosis. In his book ‘The Myth of the ADD child’
Thomas Armstrong claims that children learn in many different
ways, have different coping styles in reaction to stress, and
that ADD is overdiagnosed and overtreated. He suggests a wide
range of non-pharmacologic approaches to the problem, suxh as
changes in classroom set ups, more kinesthetic learning, project-based
learning, martial arts, etc. There is also concern about possible
harmful long-term effects of Ritalin.
In
their well researched book, ‘Ritalin Free Kids’ Reichenberg
and Ullman tell us about their experience in treating children
with ADD or ADHD. ‘Can a child who lashes out in a violent
destructive manner and has no interest in his schoolwork fit into
the same diagnostic group as a sweet, gregarious child who simply
cannot pay attention in class? Conventional medicine would say
that based on their scores on a standardized ADD test, both children
could indeed have ADD. Homeopathy would say that these two distinct
children are as different as night and day. A homeopath would
prescribe different medicine for the two children. And what about
the many conditions that mimic ADD, such as dyslexia, other learning
disabilities….developmental disorders, hypo/hyperthryoidism,
….anxiety, depression, compulsive disorder, just to name
a few…?’
Can
we lump all these children under one diagnostic category and give
them one drug? Homeopaths treat the individual and not the diagnosis.
We take the whole person into account and want to know the specific
pattern of symptoms that the child exhibits. Each person manifests
his or her ADD in a unique way. For us a child who is violent
and aggressive and spits in people’s faces needs a different
remedy than a child who is anxious, lacks self-confidence and
often feels ridiculed. There are more than 3000 homeopathic remedies
and a homeopath tries to select one specific remedy that best
matches the child’s symptoms; including knowledge of her
disposition; dreams; fears; food preferences; medical history
of the child, parents and grandparents; the exact way her ADD
is expressed; and more. ‘The homeopath is much more interested
in what is distinctive or unique about that individual with ADD
rather than those symptoms, such as restlessness and distractibility,
which are common to most ADD patients. The homeopath wants to
know what the particular child or adults thinks and feels rather
than the interpretation of the parent or teacher or therapists.’
Since
homeopathy treats the whole person and not just one syndrome/diagnosis,
the improvements patients experience through homeopathic treatment
are greater than just the disappearance of one particular set
of symptoms. The violent child becomes more settled and balanced
in her over all mood, the shy and anxious child develops greater
confidence and strength of character.
Ritalin
and its other drug relatives mask the symptoms of ADD and ADHD
for a few hours only. J.M.Swanson’s article ‘Effect
of Stimulant Medication on Children with ADD’ states that
Ritalin treatment does not cause ‘significant improvement
in reading skills, athletic or game skills, or positive social
skills […] Overall, long-term adjustment, as measured by
academic achievement, antisocial behavior and arrest rate, was
unaffected by medication.’
Homeopathy
treats the whole child. Not only do the behavioral and learning
problems diminish but homeopathic treatment often will stimulate
a growth spurt in the child. Overall, the child becomes healthier
and happier.
Homeopathic
medicines also are safe and non-toxic. They do not cause side
effects such as muscle tics, appetite loss, or insomnia (some
of the known side effects of Ritalin).
For
people interested in reading more on homeopathy as an alternative
treatment, I highly recommend the book ‘Ritalin Free Kids
- Our clinical experience’ by Reichenberg and Ullman.
Hung-Yeh
Peisinger holds a practitioner diploma from the Devon School of
Homeopathy in England, one of the oldest homeopathic colleges
in the UK, and is registered with the Maritime Society of Homeopaths.
She has been practicing in Halifax since 1997. Tel: (902) 479-0312
Back
| Next | Contents
| Home